ANA Membership Continues to Grow
The number of members, clubs and subscribers to the American Numismatic Association increased by 327 to 31,544 in fiscal year 2006-07 compared with 2005-06, largely due to improved retention rates and successful recruiting efforts by ANA clubs, dealers and members.
Overall, ANA membership has increased by 2,674 in the past five years, and 3,943 since 1997.
“We’re very pleased with the strength of our membership base and our growth this past year,” said Jay Beeton, deputy executive director for marketing and communications. “Most importantly, we made significant strides in improving retention – the first and most important step in an effort to increase membership significantly over the next several years.”
The ANA retained 82 percent of its members during the past year, compared with an overall retention rate of 76 percent in 2005-06. In addition, one-year members renewed at a 70 percent rate compared with 65 percent the previous year; 79 percent of all non-life members continued their membership.
“Implementing a sound and successful retention strategy will now allow the ANA to pursue a more aggressive campaign to attract new members,” Beeton said. “We did not focus our efforts on member acquisition this past year; rather we decided to improve retention and then invest in recruiting new members. As always, it is more cost effective to retain the members you have than to acquire new ones.”
Membership Manager Kim Kiick credited several programs that helped increase retention among members, including maintaining a more up-to-date database, making personal calls to members prior to renewal, supplemental e-mail renewal notices, allowing members to renew online, mailing renewal notices two months earlier than previously, more timely responses to member requests, the development of online feedback forums and other website enhancements, and a new promotional campaign to make members more aware of their benefits.
“I would like to thank the many dedicated ANA members and volunteers who work so hard toward retaining current members and recruiting new ones,” Kiick said. “I particularly appreciate the efforts of ANA clubs as well as their club and district representatives.”
The ANA welcomed 5,013 members during the past year, more than 2,000 of whom were sponsored by members, dealers, clubs, volunteers, officers, staff and the Board of Governors.
The ANA will create a direct mail campaign to attract new members during the current fiscal year, with a goal of boosting membership to 34,000. The long-term membership target is 40,000 by 2010. The Association also is introducing new programs to encourage life members; including discounts on all pre-convention seminars beginning with the World’s Fair of Money in Milwaukee, discounts on Summer Seminar enrollment beginning in 2008, reduced subscription rates for the ANA Journal, beginning with the 2007-08 publication year. In addition, a new life member newsletter will be published beginning this summer.
Currently, there are 16,927 regular members; 5,320 life members; 6,752 seniors (65 and older); 487 emeritus; 978 junior (22 and younger); 481 clubs; 432 associate and 28 staff memberships, and 139 Numismatist subscribers. There are four life members on the ANA staff.
Originally Release Date: April 20, 2007
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9853
Email: pr@money.org